The present disclosure relates generally to the reduction of a hip fracture by the placement of a bone plate and associated bone fasteners with instrumentation in a minimally invasive manner.
A procedure regularly performed by orthopaedic surgeons is the reduction of a hip fracture caused by trauma. The site of this type of fracture typically exists at the proximal portion of the femur below the head. In order to reduce a fracture of this type, an elongated lag screw is threadingly advanced into the shaft, neck, and head of the femur, and secured to a bone plate. Cortical screws are used to secure the bone plate to the femur distal to the fracture site. Tightening of the lag screw compresses the bone fragments together and facilitates healing of the femur. Many devices have been designed for this type of reduction including the devices disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,438,762, 3,554,193, and 2,526,959, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
The above described devices are intended to be implanted by conventional or opening surgical techniques. Although conventional implantation of a bone plate of the type described above is an accepted procedure, it presents some disadvantages. In particular, a relatively large incision must be created in the leg to obtain access to the fracture site. The large incision may result in substantial soft tissue damage that requires a relatively long healing time thereby resulting in longer hospitalization due to post operative recovery. Moreover, the relatively large incision made during the above surgical procedure may cause a significant amount of unattractive scarring.
What is needed therefore is an assembly that is utilized by a surgeon to achieve reduction of a hip fracture through a relatively small incision. What is also needed is an assembly that is utilized by a surgeon to achieve reduction of a hip fracture with less damage to soft tissue. What is further needed is an assembly that is utilized by a surgeon to achieve reduction of a hip fracture that results in less scarring to a patient.